


home sweet

by Anonymous



Category: Red Velvet (K-pop Band)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-11
Updated: 2018-03-11
Packaged: 2019-03-29 22:00:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13936296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: uncertainty, vignette





	home sweet

She is still in the bathtub when Seungwan walks in. The air inside is strange — humid, but with frost at its edges, and scented with rosewater. It’s mainly Joohyun’s domain. Seungwan is keenly aware of that as she pulls down the lid of the toilet bowl to sit.

Joohyun is mooning, almost. Seungwan’s presence barely warrants a reaction.

“What are you doing?” Seungwan asks, gently so as not to spook her.

Joohyun stares at the painted nails of her feet from where they emerge out of murky-grey waters. Foam gathers at the far-ends of the water. “I’m spoiling myself.”

Joohyun’s being irrepressibly vague. So Seungwan smiles thinly and tries another, equally soft-toned: “What’s on your mind?”

Joohyun does not answer, but it is a step closer this time, for her expression gentles, and becomes soft as water between her pruning fingers. Seungwan goes to sit by the tub. Her arms don’t quite reach for Joohyun, recognising that it isn’t time yet. Instead, they fold over the lip of the tub, for her to set her chin upon. Seungwan’s voice sounds like autumn foliage breaking and crackling underfoot. Her voice is unused to quiet, prone to wince-worthy loudness, but it adapts.

Joohyun continues to soak. The skin of her arms are prickled with cold, set about the lip of the tub. Seungwan waits for moments longer until she resigns, reasonably asking, “Would you rather be left alone?”

Seungwan tries not to feel sore about it, about to get to her feet to leave when Joohyun turns her head, and says, “I’m just thinking.”

But then her fingers press cold points into Seungwan’s bent elbow, all pride cast aside for the sake of company. Because hardly anyone prefers to be left alone with their thoughts, especially when they are as loud as Joohyun’s. Seungwan nods, resuming her slump against cool white tiles.

“And I’m just listening.”

There is nothing strong enough to prise open Joohyun’s cloistered mind, and all that comes with it. So it is fortunate that Seungwan, earnest and well-meaning, with a preserving kindness, knows to coax it out. It is simple enough — in the sticky tangle of fingers under too-hot studio lighting, or the cold that Seungwan chases away by being near. And yet —

For the briefest of moments, Joohyun expression sours fractionally. She hides this well, however, by bearing her gaze upon the waters. “What would you like to hear?”

“Nothing, if there’s nothing you want to tell me. You may even tell me why or _who_ poured glitter dust on my pillows and sheets.”

Joohyun smiles, though it is only half-there. “You already know who it was.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Yerim only wanted to make glittery slime.”

“That does not explain why it was on my bed.”

Joohyun smiles tenderly at Seungwan. “Because you were away. And she missed you.”

“Did she?” Seungwan burns hot as she stares back. The privacy of the bathroom makes something bold of her. Meanwhile, Joohyun seems to shrink and pale under the weight of her troubles, knowing Seungwan won’t betray her confidence. But then she has also grown too attached to her emotional yoke — as long-standing prisoners often are of their chains and restrains — and is reluctant to give it up without a show of teeth.

Joohyun looks away first. “Yes, she did.”

“And did you?”

“Did I?” Joohyun repeats, tense beneath the words.

Seungwan unfolds one arm to trace lightning bolts on Joohyun’s. “Miss me?”

Joohyun is quiet for some time, while Seungwan is perfectly content drawing on Joohyun’s arm with her fingers. But then she confesses, “I’ve been thinking of you.”

“What about me?”

“All of you. How you are, in private, when it’s just us.”

“So you mean to say, you’ve been thinking of us.”

“Well —” Joohyun appears conflicted. “Yes.”

“And what conclusion did you come to?”

“That I don’t know what to do about it.”

It’s the most honest Joohyun’s been, and it shows. She’s terribly afraid, but most people often are when their lives pitch forward without any means of control. And Joohyun is nothing if not in control, in charge.

“For starters, you can get out of the tub before you die of hypothermia,” Seungwan jests lightly, touched that Joohyun would trust her enough to admit it. “And then what will we do without our leader?”

“Crash and burn, no doubt. You know things are lopsided around here.”

“See, you already know some things. You already know that we can’t be without you. Look at us, we’re helpless folk.” Seungwan shifts closer. Her knees ache dully and her eyes strain with sleep. She is frayed and all-too-human without the barest hint of makeup or pretence. Besides, it is only fair that she confess something of her own, too. “And as for us, we’ll figure it out as we go; I don’t expect we’ll be away from each other anytime soon.”

Joohyun wets her lips, stares at Seungwan so intently and so fondly that Seungwan feels mildly embarrassed. She stands, and goes to take the towel hung on the rack, holds it out for Joohyun to step into. She hears water sloshing and wet feet pad on ceramic tiles and then a body pressed into her that she gathers her arms around. Joohyun turns in Seungwan’s towel-embrace to press a damp kiss to Seungwan’s nose.

“I think you may have already done the figuring-out for me,” she whispers, and takes Seungwan by the hand.

 

**Author's Note:**

> i love hyphens ok


End file.
